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Party leaders in fresh talks to save coalition

THE taoiseach and tanaiste will meet again tomorrow to try to save the nine-year-old Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrat coalition from collapse.

The two party leaders failed to bridge the gulf between them yesterday in talks lasting one hour and 20 minutes at Government Buildings. Both parties are still uncertain about the future of the government, now in the third week of a crisis caused by revelations of loans and gifts to Bertie Ahern.

At yesterday’s meeting Michael McDowell, leader of the Progressive Democrats, demanded more information from the taoiseach by tomorrow.

Asked if McDowell was concerned about new information on the Manchester dinner that was made known to the PDs on Friday, a party spokeswoman said: “No comment, beyond saying that while the information was not definitive in nature, the questions it raises were communicated by the tanaiste to the taoiseach.”